Derby winner Mine That Bird retired

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Nov. 8 (UPI) -- Mine That Bird, the winner of 2009 Kentucky Derby, has been retired, winless since that shocking Run for the Roses.

Mine That Bird scored in the Derby by 6 3/4 lengths thanks to a come-from-behind run up the rail under jockey Calvin Borel. He was 50-1 that day. He went on to finish second in the Preakness Stakes and third in the Belmont. After that, he was lackluster at best and never close to another win.

He finished 10th of 12 in Saturday's $1 million Breeders' Cup Mile. Trainer D. Wayne Lukas said owners Dr. Leonard Blach and Mark Allen told him the next day they would take him back to Blach's ranch near Roswell, N.M. Lukas said the horse appears sound but unwilling to compete -- "just going through the motions."

Lukas took over training Mine That Bird this year from Chip Woolley, who drove the unlikely Derby contender cross-country from New Mexico to Louisville last year.

Mine That Bird, a gelded son of 2004 Belmont Stakes winner Birdstone and grandson of 1996 Kentucky Derby winner Grindstone, finished with five wins from 18 career starts and earnings of $2,228,637.

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